Leadership series: Brandon Ho

Meet the industry’s most inspiring leaders in our CORE Leadership Series of in-depth conversations.

In this interview, we speak to Brandon Ho, Regional Head of F&B Concepts & Brand Relationships at Avolta. 

Avolta operate thousands of outlets across over 70 countries, employing over 75,000 people at airports, cruise ships, sea ports, and train stations globally.

What initially inspired you or sparked your interest in pursuing this career?

Where else can you be in the business of making people happy, day in, day out? Enough said.

I was also an aspiring actor when I was in my teens – maybe it was the same rush for adrenaline and the same mission of bringing joy to others that led me down the path of hospitality.

What motivates you in your work and what do you find most fulfilling about being a business leader?

Seeing team members step onto the floor everyday, parking their personal troubles and fatigue at the door before every shift, putting their best selves forward to serve our guests –– rain or shine.  How can we as leaders show up everyday with anything less? 

In my current regional role at Avolta (the world’s leading travel retail & F&B operator), every effort to value-add to each country’s operations is a leg up to our team members to deliver the best possible experience to our guests.

Thinking about the (current) macro-economic and social environment (cost pressures, labour market, changing customer expectations, sustainability), what shifts do you believe will redefine “success” for our sector in the coming year or years?

As cost pressures rise globally, the frequency with which we dine out will continue to go down. Restaurants have to nail it every time and have less margin for error.

But that does not mean less margin for innovation. Even within channels with captive audiences – from stadiums to airports – we should not assume that bumps on seats are a given. Travel F&B, in particular, must adapt to evolving guest preferences.

What do you believe will distinguish the leading service providers over the next decade (e.g. niche market, luxury, sustainability, experience-driven, hybrid models…)?

Flexibility.

Attention spans are shrinking, food fads come and go, and the life cycle of restaurants keep getting shorter. Short of sounding malicious, leading F&B players almost need a “pump-and-dump” strategy to keep things fresh. This means keeping to flexible layouts, versatile formats and modular solutions – the frame remains constant but the content keeps evolving.

If you could influence one thing about the future of hospitality (policy, regulation, social trend, business model…) what would it be, and why?

That more people (especially in this part of the world) see hospitality as a viable career than just a transitional gig. I am well aware no magic wand can change this overnight, the stalwarts of this industry just have to keep leading the charge – the only way is to speak it, model it and reinforce it.

What skills or mindsets do you think will be most important for the next generation of hospitality leaders?

Curiosity.

I have lost count of the number of times I’ve heard “We have always done it this way” in the hospitality sector. In getting through the repetitive day-to-day, it is so easy and tempting to fall into a holding pattern.

Sometimes, it is as simple as just asking “Why?” When you dig deeper, you may even realise how ridiculous some old-standing practices may be – but the first step is deciding to dig.

What is or are your biggest career achievement(s)?

Being part of the team that worked to bring the Michelin Guide and The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards to Singapore, and doing my part in putting our tiny island-state on the global culinary map.

Have there been any hard decisions you had to take as a business leader? 

Letting someone go, despite them having done nothing wrong, whether this was a result of restructuring, foreign quota reductions or an unforeseen pandemic. 

Hospitality is a people business – so showing people the door through no fault of their own has been the toughest act.

Who or what has had a major influence on your approach to leadership?

Too many!

Danny Meyer & Will Guidara (American restaurateurs) for carrying the hospitality torch and inspiring a new generation of F&B professionals

Greg Creed (former CEO of Yum! Brands) & Rory Sutherland (British advertising guru) for understanding how branding & marketing shape perceptions and drive serious business outcomes

Indra Nooyi (former PepsiCo CEO) & Steve Jobs (Apple co-founder) who defied all odds as underdogs, never once lost belief in their mission and saw their superpower as a gift, not an impediment

Of late, Eileen Gu (Chinese-American freestyle skier) for being way ahead of her time and for shining so bright that others cannot help but notice